Posts Tagged ‘hiring young people’

It’s only natural to want to hire the cream of the crop for your company, and this typically means that you will want to focus your recruitment efforts on the top college graduates every year to fill your ongoing workplace needs.

However, today’s top students are becoming increasingly aware of their value to businesses and are interested in better incentives and attention from potential employers. You may need to adjust your approach to ensure that you have a good shot at hiring the top minds of the new generation.

Give College Graduates Plenty of Feedback and Opportunities to Grow

By 2015, some 60% of all available job opportunities will require the skill and knowledge of just 20% of the applicant pool, noted Kathryn Dill in a recent piece at Forbes. She cited statistics from the “Class of 2014: Your Next Generation of Top Talent” survey from Achievers, a company that develops employee engagement applications.

The survey shows that graduates are searching for firms that will provide them with an opportunity to grow in their field, along with plenty of feedback and rewards.

To meet their needs, Dill recommends that hiring managers offer immediate evaluations on a regular basis. Millennial workers are typically staying in jobs for 18 months on average, which means it will do you no good to drag your heels when evaluating their progress and potential.

Increase Use of Social Media in Recruitment

More and more college students and graduates are coming to rely on social media such as Facebook and Twitter to navigate their job opportunities. You should increase your social presence both to advertise the virtues of your company and its culture and to meet potential candidates where they are spending more of their time—online.

A good step is to add every member of your staff to your company’s LinkedIn page to help you establish more second- and third-tier connections to potential recruits.

Be More Accepting of Eccentric and Creative Individuals

Managers may ask HR to find more workers who “think outside the box,” but the eccentric personalities of creative individuals sometimes prevent a recruiter from seeing the value they can bring, notes a recent report by Stephen Glasskeys at Forbes.

Glasskeys cited the examples of self-taught film auteurs Paul T. Anderson and Quentin Tarantino. Although these individuals might have unusual habits and appear unusual (unkempt hair and messy clothing), they have become experts in their field and deliver world-class results.

By embracing unusual people during the recruitment process, you improve the likelihood of finding the most talented minds available in your industry.

In a recent article “Hiring New Grads? Don’t Make These 3 Mistakes” appearing in The Daily Muse, Trent Hazy compares the process of recruiting graduating college seniors to dating in middle school. As the naïve college student reaches out (flirting) with employers, the recruiter often ignores sound advice that could have come from well-meaning parents.

Hazy lists three rules, patterned on dating protocol, to avoid overlooking or losing good candidates. He takes into account several values that are overall good qualities a recruiter can possess, including social intelligence, patience, respect and tenacity. Consider them especially as they apply to highly competitive software development, engineering and IT jobs:

Don’t be too-quick to make a decision during the interview – after all, not everyone falls in love at first sight. A nervous performance at an in-person or video interview doesn’t mean the candidate can’t excel in your organization. Remember, they’re new at this. Go the extra mile to meet them over lunch or take them on a tour around your site. In these venues, you’ll be better able to judge personal qualities like leadership and creativity. Best of all, go where they are – set up an information table at the university coffee shop or host a Q&A session on campus about your business or industry.

Give the relationship time before making a decision. Go beyond the resume and interview. Ask for a sample of the student’s work, such as a class project description or paper, that’s relevant to the position or industry. Also, consider paid summer or after graduation internships in which you can assess the candidate’s real performance on the job. You may find gold that was hidden under interview clutter.

Treat the student – or date – with respect, just as you would any other professional candidate. Remember that you’re representing your organization and brand. Students deserve common courtesy, so return emails and calls quickly, and don’t keep them hanging on your decision. Even if you don’t hire this candidate, it’s possible your paths will cross in the future through your common industry interests.

And here’s another thought: technology is an essential part of life for students going out into the workforce, so embrace everything that social media recruiting has to offer. Post open positions, college events and internship opportunities on Facebook – you can make it even easier through automated interfaces like LinkUp.com. Don’t forget LinkedIn and Twitter. Also, consider creating a mobile app that links directly to your organization’s career website.

Just like dating, recruiting is a courtship, especially for highly-sought after post college grads in fields like software development and engineering. Follow these basic dating rules and the resulting relationship will benefit you, your organization, and your new employee.

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